Ribs fall off the bone - champions fall off the throne!
September 6 - 8, 2024 — Packages now bookable
Indulge in a feast of ribs at the 11th annual Esquimalt Ribfest! World-famous ribbers compete to win over your taste buds — You be the judge of their cooking! With a variety of flavors and secret recipes, prepare yourself for the ultimate palate sensation. Vendors will have beef and pork ribs, in addition to other options on the menu. Pair your succulent meat with local craft beer, cider and wine including Driftwood Brewery, Lighthouse Brewing and Merridale Cider. Plus, be sure to check out Ribfest’s live entertainment all day long!
DAY TRIP PACKAGES
Option 1: Standard Ribfest Package
From $69 USD per person
Standard Packages Include:
- Round trip, walk-on ferry fare
- Transportation between the Victoria terminal and Esquimalt Ribfest
- One half rack of ribs, half pulled pork/chicken and two sides from your choice of any rib vendor at the festival*
*The second meat will differ per rib vendor (pulled pork or chicken). The sides will also differ per rib vendor.
NEW FOR 2024! UPGRADE TO THE VIP BLUE BUFFALO SALOON
Option 2: VIP Ribfest Package
$20 USD upgrade per person ($89 USD total per person)
VIP Packages Include:
- Round trip, walk-on ferry fare
- Transportation between the Victoria terminal and Esquimalt Ribfest
- VIP seating in the Blue Buffalo Saloon — No waiting in line ups!
- All inclusive food from all six ribbers, chicken, beans, coleslaw and corn bread
- All inclusive drinks from Blue Buffalo Saloon vendors including beer, cider, wine and non alcoholic drinks
Your Blue Buffalo Saloon pass will give you access to the VIP area from 11:00am to 1:30pm.
Please Note: Ribfest packages MUST be booked over the phone. Please call our packaging department at 877-386-2202 for more information or to book.
You must catch the 8:20am sailing from Port Angeles to take advantage of the complimentary Ribfest shuttle. The shuttle will depart in front of our Victoria terminal at 10:45am. The shuttle will depart Ribfest at 1:45pm and 3:45pm to return to our Victoria terminal.
If you choose to take the 12:45pm sailing, you must find your own way to Ribfest. Ribfest is located about a 15 minute drive from our Victoria terminal, which is about a $15 CAD taxi ride.
Day Trip Itinerary
7:50am: Arrive at the Port Angeles terminal.
8:20am: Depart from Port Angeles.
9:50am: Arrive in Victoria and go through Canada Customs. If you are staying overnight, you can store your bags at the hotel you booked, and walk back to the Victoria terminal to board the shuttle to Ribfest.
10:45am: Shuttle departs from our Victoria terminal to Ribfest.
11:00am: Arrive at Ribfest.
1:45pm: The first shuttle departs from Ribfest back to our Victoria terminal. This shuttle will get you back in time for the 3:00pm departure back to Port Angeles. Please be back at the terminal by 2:30pm for Customs.
3:45pm: The second (and last shuttle) departs from Ribfest back to our Victoria terminal. Arrive in downtown Victoria, and explore at your leisure until the 7:30pm departure.
7:00pm: Arrive at the Victoria terminal and go through US Customs.
7:30pm: Depart from Victoria.
9:00pm: Arrive in Port Angeles and go through a quick US Customs check.
*If you miss the Ribfest shuttle (or want to stay at Ribfest longer!), it is your responsibility to find your way back to downtown Victoria. Taxis between Ribfest and our Victoria terminal will cost about $15 CAD one way.
Want to add an overnight stay in Victoria? Check out our hotel partners here.
2024 RIBBERS
Pit Crew BBQ
They've been doing ribfest for over 25 years! This year they decided to start building a NEW brand “Pit Crew BBQ”, outfitting the rig with new banners portraying life in the fast lane of racing! Pit Crew finds Ribfests fun, fast tracked, and it’s great to be in the “Pit” with the “Crew”!
Pit Crew BBQ is from the Maritimes and have a great supportive crew from Ontario, to Vancouver Island & everywhere in between! They have formed a great team and look forward to serving the best customers all over this beautiful country. And remember “if you ain’t first, your smoked”.
Smoke Dem Bones
Smoke Dem Bones BBQ was formed over a passion of cooking good food. The art of cooking food low and slow is as rewarding as well as relaxing. It allows one to slow down and take time out from our busy lives and concentrate on one thing and forget about the rest. The end result is fantastic food with peace of mind.
Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ
Prairie Smoke & Spice the home of genuine pit-smoked BBQ catering in Southern Saskatchewan. What started with a sample of real barbeque in Texas eight years ago has turned into a consuming passion to produce the best, most authentic ‘Q available in the prairies. This dream is now a reality as Prairie Smoke & Spice has won many awards on the competition circuit.
Gator BBQ
For over 30 years, Gator BBQ has been delivering mouth watering chicken, pulled pork and ribs to the hungry crowds of Rib Fests all across North America. Touring Canada and the Northern United States, the Smith family of Port Dover continue to win countless awards and events with their signature southern BBQ cuisine.
Grizzly Ribs
Grizzly Ribs, Chef Ollie is a fifth-generation Vancouver Islander with a knack for finding just the right mix of smoke, service, spice and sass that keeps people coming back.
Make sure you show up hungry as a bear because you might just want to do a little hibernating after feasting on some of Ollie’s wonder ribs!
Boss Hog's
More than ten years of smmmmokin’ the competition makes Boss Hogs bbq the pride of the Canadian Ribfest Tour folks…
With “Taste the Smokin’ Difference” being their motto, it is their utmost goal to provide patrons with the ultimate barbeque experience. Season after season they become even more successful through consistency, atmosphere and a customer service that is next-to-none.
People continually ask what their secret is and it’s actually pretty simple: the Rub, the Love and the God above!!!
2024 Ribfest Brews
Driftwood Brewery
Vancouver Island Brewing
Lighthouse Brewing Company
Category 12 Brewing
Hoyne Brewing
Howl Brewing
Merridale Cider
Junction Orchard & Cidery
Mark Anthony Wine & Peller Estates
Sake Bomb
